Better Than A Soap Opera
by ashehole
Summary: Little stories all dealing with the La Push pack and its craziness. Chapter Ten: Jacob recounts the ten moments that completely changed his life... Forever. BD Spoilers! Read, Review, and Enjoy! Nominated for Best Werewolf Portrayal at the TwilightAwards.
1. Embry What?

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: Embry What?**

**Summary: Leah has a big mouth when it comes to secrets the pack would rather forget about. How did Embry handle the news when Leah let everybody know about his possible heritage? Well, let's just say that Embry may seem calm on the outside, but his mind is a whirlwind.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

* * *

We all knew that, when Leah joined the pack, this wouldn't be as fun as it had been. Let's forget that she's a _female_ and focus more on the fact that the werewolf gift in our genes has already screwed up her life as it is. We all hear the story of Sam and Emily. We hear it every time we shift, we hear it whenever Sam feels especially guilty over it, and now we hear it all the time from Leah. Over and over. It makes it worse on Sam now that she's one of us.

How do we cope with a blow like this when Leah won't get over herself?

I understand how horrible it must have been to be so in love one day and dumped the next for your own cousin. You would have to be absolutely cruel and heartless to not understand the pain all three of them are going through. You would think that Leah would understand the phenomenon of imprinting, now that she was one of us.

But, no. Not at all. She was being incredibly vindictive.

Especially now.

I wanted to curl up into a ball. I wanted to shift back, and I would find the control to stay human for the rest of my life. If only to not hear the pain my friends were going through. Sam wasn't putting it past his father. The guy was a loser, a dead beat, a guy not good enough to be called "father". It didn't stop Jacob's and Quil's thoughts and speculations about their fathers. Was it Billy? Was it Quil Sr.?

_Who was my father?_

When I first began changing, falling into the pack with Sam, Paul, and Jared, they thought about it once. Or, at least, Sam questioned it. After all, my mother is from the Makah reservation. She doesn't have a drop of Quileute blood in her, but I do. _I do._ How? Who was it? That's what Sam wanted to know, even though I didn't. Back then, Sam only considered his father for my parentage.

Then Leah became one of us, and she opened up a whole new can of worms, as they say.

I don't like facing Jacob and Quil some days. I'm afraid to think as a human, mostly because when I turn wolf, those thoughts are broadcasted loudly. They can hear my shame. My shame for my mother, who obviously had an affair with a married man. My shame for my father, whoever he may be.

Mostly, it's because I can hear my two best friends all the time. Jacob looks at Billy differently. I see it, in his mind, and as humans. Sly glances whenever I come around, checking to see if I look like Billy, checking to see if Billy is checking me out. I don't think I look like Billy. Then again, I don't think I look like Quil Sr... Or anything like Sam.

I hate the speculation, the guessing games. I feel like I'm on a twisted game show whenever Leah's around. I call it _**Embry What?**_ Imagine it being like a dating show that I know my mother loves to watch. There's me, on one side of the screen, holding note cards filled with a million questions. On the other side of the screen are the three candidates, my three potential _daddies_. So, it's not really a dating show, but more of a paternity check. Kind of like all those episodes of Maury that keep coming on. I bet you can guess who the sick game show host would be.

Leah Clearwater, of course.

I mean, what makes her so high and mighty that she could screw with my head like this? I have never done anything to her. Actually, I used to have the biggest crush on her. Honestly... I still don't think too badly of her. It's just... What right did she have even bringing those possibilities up? Why did she have to question what was, you know? I'm one of the pack. Period. What does it matter _how_ I am part of it?

Really, what makes her think it wasn't her own father that fathered me? Why couldn't I be her and Seth's half-brother? Why does her father get off so light when a great guy like Billy Black gets put up as Contestant Number 2?

I'm trying not to be so bitter about it. Leah was only... Was only... I can't think of any reason or excuse that would have had Leah doing this to us.

I miss the old days, when it was only _guys_ in this pack. She should really be worrying about why she is the only female in history to be changed instead of spreading all the nasty gossip of La Push around our poor, connected minds. I can't wait for her to hear exactly how I feel about this. She's a grown woman. She should know better than to act like a petty child.

Damn. I still can't hate her for it, either. Well, I can settle for this.

Hear that, Leah? Stop acting like a kid in pre-school. Stop torturing all of us when it's none of our faults. You can't even blame Sam and Emily!

You can't blame any of us for what we have no control over, even our heritages.

* * *

**AN: So, tell me what you think about this, and if you have an idea about the next pack member you want me to do, or a story in the pack you would like to hear, let me know! Oh, and I got the title of the story from a line Edward said in Eclipse about the pack. R, R, & E!**


	2. Weddings Are Hellish

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: Weddings Are Hellish**

**Summary: Sam and Emily always seemed destined to get married from the moment they learned to accept each other. But, really, did Emily have to torture Leah further by actually having her be a bridesmaid?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

* * *

"..."

I stare blankly at her. My cousin. My best friend. My sister. _**The utter pain of my lovely existance?**_

Yeah, Emily Young is all of those and more. I loved her so much. I _love_ her so much. It isn't the past tense of the word. She is still family, still my best friend in this horribly cruel world that I just happen to live in. She is generally still my best friend because I don't _have_ any other friends. Apparently, after Sam's sudden betrayal of our love for the imprinting our kind goes through somehow, I became bitter and... Well, let's face it. The way to recovery is admittance, right? I became the total bitch. Number one exclusively.

Strange. I love what I am, and I hate it so incredibly much. Do I mean being a bitch? Do I mean being heart broken? _Do I mean the fact that I can willingly change into a small, gray wolf?_

Yes. All of it, I suppose.

So, why go through this little rant all over again? Obviously I have been down this road before. It isn't new to me or to anybody else in the pack. I am torturing myself all over again--and thus, my pack as well--all because Emily... Dear, sweet, _amazing_ Emily has just gushed to me about Sam _finally_ proposing.

_"It was sweet, Leah. You just couldn't have imagined it. He was so nervous. I always figured he would just drag me down to a church, no word. You know Sam. But this time, he surprised me."_

_"Yeah. I know Sam."_

_"Leah... I love him."_

_"Yeah. I know, Emily."_

_"Leah, I want you to be in the wedding. I want you to be my Maid of Honor. There is no other choice. No other candidates. _Please_, Leah."_

So, here is my new dilemma. The _freakin'_ Maid. Of. Honor. No other choices to be made. Not even some dumpy cousin somwhere on another reservation that we never talked to because she was slightly weird and probably bullied us as children. Emily couldn't have even used her. No, she begged me instead.

I'm being pulled to all sides. All arguments. I want to hug Emily. I want to laugh with her. I want to cry with her. I want to hit, attack her, let her know how much she hurt me.

I want to plan a wedding with Emily. But not her wedding. Not her wedding _to Sam_. It was supposed to be _my_ sweet engagement to Sam,_ my _wedding. She should have been my Maid of Honor. We should be having children together and laughing at our eccentric husbands. _That_ was the life that I wanted.

Why couldn't I have it? Why did fate screw me over on this one? Why me? Why?

"Leah?" Emily touches my arm, and I can see that I have hurt her by not answering. I'm just sitting there, staring at her, ranting in my mind. But her touch isn't helping me, and I pull away from her hand abruptly. I don't want to hurt her because I love her, but she's hurting me by just existing.

And that's just so unfair.

So completely, utterly unfair. To her. To me. To Sam.

It's unfair to my brother, who lives with me. Who saw what Sam breaking up with me for Emily did to me.

It's unfair to my pack, who has to deal with my maliciousness when all I'm trying to do is forget. Forget about Sam, even though he's always there, in my head. Forget about Emily, who I want to still love. Forget that I'm obviously a broken commodity, and that's why Sam couldn't love me completely. I'm broken. That's it. That's why Sam couldn't imprint with me. I'm not good enough.

Right? Isn't that it?

"Oh, Leah..."

"I'm sorry, Emily. I just spaced there for a minute."

"What were you thinking?"

I smile at her, and she smiles back, happy to see some life come back into my face. I can lie to her. She can't read my mind, but I know the boys will know all that has happened here the moment that I phase. That's okay. I just don't want to make her unhappy. "About dresses. I really don't want to be stuck in some awful plum colored dress with big frou-frou sleeves, okay?"

Emily bursts out laughing, hugging me tightly to her. I let her, because that's what she wants from me. I even manage to wrap my arms around her as well, though I'm falling apart inside. "Lee-Lee, really. I have better taste than that!"

"Yeah, I know. I'm just trying to remind you to not dress me into something tacky."

"Nothing tacky. I promise you, Leah."

"I'm happy for you," I manage to say as well, kissing her scarred cheek. A reminder, to me and to her. Something the _three_ of us share.

I leave her place not long after, itching to get away and stop being human. I rush outside, not caring if she realizes that I'm running from her and my promises. I don't even care that I haven't taken my clothes off. As soon as I hit the trees, I'm phasing. My body twists and changes.

_Man, I would love to see you in that dress_, Jacob immediately says, laughing at me in his head. I see the images he brings up of me in that plum atrocity I lied about.

_I can't believe you actually thought about attacking Emily! Sam is going to be pissed when he hears this! _Embry quips, and I growl.

_I would never do it. Get out of my mind!_ I am so angry, so angry that these losers get to see a pain I don't ever want bared or known.

_Leah... We're sorry. I'm sorry..._

I know that Embry is, and I can see images from Jacob's mind about learning of his human's own marriage to a leech. They feel sorry for me, and it makes me so much angrier. I can't stand this pity. I growl again, loudly, and accompany the sound with brutal images of me tearing the boys apart. They're shocked, but only because of the out right violence I'm projecting at them. _Bite me. _

Embry howls somewhere in the distance. _I can't help but pity you. I feel what you feel too much. Maybe now you know how I felt... When, well, you know..._

I'm running then. Running so far and so fast, only thinking of the trees and the wind and all the scents passing me by in the air. I am a bitch.

And I am so sorry for it, for the pain and bitterness that won't let me go. Or, maybe, it's me that isn't letting go.

* * *

**AN: I'm not sure if I got Leah down right. It might seem a little OOC-ish, but I call them as I see them. So, give me feedback and let me know how I did with Leah! And,if you have ideas, I'm always open to them!**


	3. Well, Jacob Isn't Going To Like This

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: Well, Jacob Isn't Going To Like This...**

**Summary: The story of when Paul and Rachel met, and how she handled the news of werewolves and imprinting.**

**AN: **_**Italics**_** are the pack and the imprints interrupting Paul's story. Lol.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

* * *

When I woke up that morning--hungry and grouchy--I had the strangest impulse to jog along the beach. Usually, after my breakfast, I would run in the forest, phasing to do so. This was an urge that couldn't be beat, so I got up, hurriedly threw some clothes on, and left the house without even eating. My stomach growled loudly, and I wondered what I was thinking, leaving the house without grabbing _something _at least. Maybe some pop-tarts. I have some of those new hot chocolate kind, and they are so great. Just thinking of them made my stomach roar at me, angry that I was neglecting it. But I continued to be a neglectful caretaker and made my way down to the beach.

It was nice outside, and the beach was beautiful. The sun was out, gleaming off the water pushing slowly to the shore. I stared at it as I started to jog, mesmerized. It was like I'd never seen the damn sun reflecting off water before. You would have thought I was an idiot, running without looking.

... Or maybe you already thought I was an idiot. But this is definitely beside the point.

So, I'm running, not looking where I'm going. There's the point. All of a sudden, I slam right into something else. A body, apparently, because it's either that or I have just grown exta limbs, and I've _never_ heard any wolf stories about mutation. Whoever it is, they're struggling beneath me; I'm a big guy, so it would make sense that I was crushing this person. A girl, maybe. It _feels_ like a girl beneath me. I slowly turned my head, to look down at my unknown and unplanned captive.

She's glaring back at me when I finally meet her eyes. I find myself feeling sheepish, and I'm really not sure what I should do.

_**"So I push **_**him**_** off instead," Rachel says, laughing. Jacob glares daggers at us. I cough and continue the story anyway.**_

She might have been a small girl, but she had some strength in her, and she pushed me off. I rolled to my back, not hurt in the least. Gotta love being a wolfie.

"What do you think you were doing?!" The girl yelled, getting up to her knees as she continues glaring. It was quite a familiar look, too. It reminded me of a certain someone in the pack.

"Running?"

"Into people," she muttered, brushing sand out of her hair.

"I'm, uh, sorry. I should have been looking."

"Yes. You _should_ have." The girl looked back at me, and we are really looking at each other now. A spark of recognition lights up her eyes, and I notice just how pretty they are. How pretty she is. "Hey, I know you."

"Do you?" I had no clue who she was.

"_**Go figure, Paul," Quil laughs, shaking his head.**_

"Paul, right?" She asked, just to make sure, but I think... I think I would have agreed if she called me Ringo Starr. I nodded. My fingers began to itch, and I realized that I had a desire to touch her. Her hair, her hand, her face.

"_**Get on with the story!" Jacob groans, pinching the bridge of his nose.**_

I leaned forward, smiling at her. It was like the world had shifted. Not like my vision wavered and colors all flooded together as one or anything stupid like that. It was more like I knew, had always known, that I would be with this girl. It was just a certain sort of knowledge that came with actually looking into her eyes. "Who are you?"

She laughed. "Have you forgotten me already?" I blinked at her, slowly, trying to remember her name. How could I love somebody and not remember her name? I was getting off to a rough start already. "I'm Rachel. Rachel Black, Jacob's sister?"

I let out something that was both a sigh and a groan. Wonderful. I find the girl I'm supposed to be with forever and ever... And she's my own pack brother's sister. Now, how was I supposed to think about her or... Do anything--

"_**You just automatically assume that we're going to be doing anything? Sexual, you mean? You're such a pervert, Paul," Rachel groans, looking like she doesn't know how to fix me from this fixation. **_

With her without letting Jacob know. Not that I couldn't take him on. He would get a beat--

"_**I hope you remember the last time you thought you could take Jacob down," Sam reminds me, and I sigh.**_

"_**Can I finish this, or would you all like to finish this for me?"**_

"_**We **_**can**_** hear your thoughts, you know," Leah enjoys pointing out to me. Thank you, Captain Obvious. "We can hear this story like that. In fact, we pretty much have."**_

"_**Well, you damn harpy, maybe I want to recount to Rachel how it was for me when we met. Is that so terrible?"**_

"_**And you couldn't tell her in private?" Embry asks, pushing a stick through the dirt.**_

"_**That's so sweet!" Both Emily and Rachel say at the same time. So, Sam sticks it out for Emily's sake. And because Sam doesn't leave, the others just fall in line, grumbling as they do so. I grin at both girls.**_

"Rachel?" I finally remembered. She was the one who had gone off to college. "What are you doing home?" I know she tried to avoid this place as much as possible, but only because of Jacob's mind.

She blushed, and I smiled at her. She was just so beautiful. "I just graduated. Early, and I guess I had no other choice but come home. I haven't seen Jacob or Dad in awhile, so... Here I am!" She spread her arms out, looking around her.

I couldn't help it. It just seemed like an invitation to me. So, I hugged her. I squeezed her to me, sighing happily. "I'm glad you did, Rachel."

She hesitated. I counted the seconds that she waited. Three and a half. Sorta. But her arms closed down around my neck, and she settled against my body. "You're so warm!"

"Yeah."

"Like Jacob."

"Yeah."

"You guys are so big, too. What's up with that?"

I hesitated this time. What was the protocol on the whole "I imprinted on you, and now you're the mate of a werewolf. Congratulations!" thing? I know that Kim wasn't told immediately. Claire was too young. And Emily...

I didn't want to hold back from Rachel, though. I wanted her to know everything about me right that minute. Including that time when I was ten, and I stole girls underwear from a store out in Port Angeles because these guys had dared me too, and I just couldn't back down and make them think I was too scared to do it...

"_**Erm... You could have kept that to yourself," Kim tells me, lifting one eyebrow up in worry. Rachel is looking at me strange, too, now. **_

"_**You didn't keep those, right?" **_

_**The whole pack laughs.**_

"_**Moving on!"**_

"_**Paul!"**_

"Your brother and I are werewolves! And so is Sam and Quil and Jared and Collin and the Clearwaters..." I started to ramble, listing off the names of the pack. She stared at me, confusion written all over her face. "We are here to protect the tribe from those damn bloodsuckers on the hill. The Cullens? You've heard of them, right?"

She leaned away from me, staring at me as if I was mental.

"_**You are," Leah quips.**_

"Um, Paul...? What are you talking about?" Rachel inquired. She started to let me go. Was the imprint impulse not strong on her right now? Was that why Jared waited on telling Kim?

"_**I waited because I'm not an idiot, Paul," Jared mutters, hugging Kim close.**_

"_**Wow, Rachel. I didn't know he just went all out there with you. If Jared had immediately told me, I would have freaked out," Kim tells Rachel, but my girl just shrugs. Rachel's a pro.**_

"We are the descendants of Taha Aki. The Cold Ones? The stories?"

"What about them?"

"They're all true!" I grinned at her, hoping she would understand.

She didn't. "Wow. I think I need to go now."

She got up and began walking away from me. I, on the other hand, was stumped. This was not going well for me _at all. _"Ra-Rachel!"

Rachel turned around, tilting her head at me. "Paul... Have you ever had a psych evaluation?"

I stared at her, mentally beating the crap out of myself. Why was she being so difficult about this? Even Bella took it better than this! And she wasn't even imprinted on! "No."

"You should probably check that out."

"W-wait!" I got up, running after her. "Rachel, just hear me out. What if I proved it to you?"

"How are you going to do that?" She stopped walking and turned to me instead now, curiosity in her eyes. "There's not a full moon out here."

"Come on, Rachel. You've heard the tales. Ever heard of a full moon in them?" I asked her, grinning.

"No," she reluctantly admitted. She knew the stories as well as anybody here. Her father was big on telling them... And believing them.

"Just... Let me phase for you, okay?"

"How do I know, if this is possible, that you won't attack me?"

_**Sam hissed softly. "No guarantees." But he was saying it more to himself than anybody else. He couldn't very well scold me now, even though I was the most reckless.**_

"I won't. But I need you to turn around," I told her, blushing slightly. "Clothes don't exactly phase with us."

"Oh, very well!" She exclaimed, turning in the sand, her back to me as I hurriedly undressed. I had been shifting so much, especially as of late, the change was quick for me. Instantaneous. I could already feel Collin, Brady, and Seth out in the woods.

_Wait to go, Paul. Another imprint,_ Collin congratulated. I could hear Brady snort.

Seth laughed in my head. _Well, Jacob isn't going to like this..._

_Shut up._

I barked at Rachel, who turned around so quickly, she could have been a wolf with that speed. She fell back in the sand, her mouth open and eyes wide with complete shock. Not fear, just surprise that I had proved her wrong. "P-p-paul?"

I rolled over onto my back as an answer, exposing my belly. She leaned forward, hesitated and pulled back, then reached her hand out to touch me. Her face was still a mask of complete surprise. "Wow." She continued to run her fingers through my thick fur. "I believe you now. I'm going to turn around now so you can change back and we can talk about this." She was so calm, and I absolutely loved her for that.

When I phased back and had at least put my jeans on, she came to sit next to me in the sand. She grabbed my hand, holding it even though hers was so small in comparison. "Tell me it all."

"You're okay with this?" I asked her. I had to be sure. If she didn't want me like I wanted her...

Rachel sighed, pushing her hair behind her ear with her free hand. She took a moment before answering me. "It's so strange. I never believed these stories. And now they seem to be true. More than that, Paul, and I don't know why, but I know I'm safe with you. I feel comfortable. I believe you. I believe that you were just a wolf. I believe that the Cold Ones exist. In fact..."

"In fact what?"

"I believed you even before you showed me. I was just confused."

"Yeah. This imprint thing is confusing."

"Imprint?"

"_**Strange enough, I was even okay with that. I've dated a few other guys before, and I thought I loved them. This was different. It was right," Rachel tells them all. Even though the pack can read my thoughts, they can't read hers, and I can see that they were mildly curious as to how she felt about the imprint matter. Of course, they also knew that Rachel kicked sand in my face and ran away the moment I told her what imprinting was. Not that the other girls really needed to know that.**_

"_**Seth, you're a smart kid," Jacob huffs.**_

_**The younger Clearwater sibling grins. "Yeah. I just know you too well."**_

"_**I think even if Rachel was the sister of some other guy out there, he wouldn't want Paul to date her," Leah mutters, shaking her head at me.**_

"_**Your words warm my heart, Leah..." I say, pulling Rachel closer to me. **_

_**No other guy will have their hands on my Rachel. She is mine, forever and ever.**_

_**As long as Jacob didn't try to kill me when he heard that.**_


	4. Truce, But Not Really

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: Truce, But Not Really**

**Summary: Sam asked him to go with Jared instead of Embry. Because Collin was a safe bet. Collin was a kid. And Collin wouldn't up and leave the pack to go with Jacob... Unlike poor Embry. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

* * *

It was hard, dealing with all of this at once. You know, the whole dissention in the ranks kind of thing.

First, Jacob leaves us. I heard from Sam and Jared that is was an Alpha male thing; Jacob was the true Alpha among the pack, but he didn't want the responsibility. Until Sam ordered him to attack that human girl with the vampires. I guess love is strong enough to beat an Alpha's order... As long as you had Alpha blood inside of you. I couldn't imagine anybody leading our pack but Sam. He deserved his position. He was the first to change in this generation, and he had gone through so much, he just deserved it. He didn't deserve having Jacob break away from us. It felt wrong when I suddenly realized that his mind was no longer apart of mine.

Second, Seth runs off after Jacob almost immediately! He always liked those bloodsuckers. I guess it really shouldn't have surprised any of us when we all knew how Seth felt about that _Edward_. One minute he's going after Jacob, the next he's not even part of our pack.

Third, Leah runs off on us in the middle of the night! We all knew she was really pissed off about her brother leaving. Sam never expected her to actually _join_ Jacob! She did. We were three down.

And finally, there was Embry and Quil. More so Embry than Quil. Claire was here for Quil. We counted on that. Even though Quil and Jacob were best friends, he couldn't abandon his imprint. Embry was a completely different story. What did he really have to hold him here in La Push? His mom? She didn't know the truth and couldn't tell him the truth. That was the end of that story right there. Embry would definitely leave our pack.

Our family was mangled enough as it is. Sam wasn't going to give anybody the opportunity to leave the pack again.

I felt as though my front paws were cut off. I was so used to all the voices in my head that...

"We have to meet with Jacob," Sam said to us. We were gathered at his and Emily's place for this meeting. "Get him to come back."

"How do we do that exactly?" Paul asks while shoving another hot dog in his throat.

"We tell him that we won't attack Bella. We can wait and see what happens. There's no need for two seperate packs. I want all three of them home," Sam told us, echoing all of our thoughts as though he could read them in human form as well.

"That doesn't sound simple," Embry muttered. "Not to me. And it won't to Jacob, either."

"It's not like we can't try," Jared answered, narrowing his eyes at the other boy.

We knew what Embry was thinking. He was mad at first, when Jacob ran off. Abandoning us. Warning the vampires of our plans. Then, he grew agitated, depressed. That was his friend, his brother. He could do what Leah and Seth did, run off to join Jacob's new pack. Sam was shocked by Embry's thoughts; we all were.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Embry," Sam said to him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I'm afraid that you won't be going to meet Jacob."

"What?!" Embry exclaimed angrily, jumping up from his seat. He glared at Sam, rage all over his face. Quil grabbed his arm immediately, pushing him back, away from Sam.

"You heard me," Sam warned dangerously, not the least bit threatened by Embry. "You will not go, Embry Call."

"And who would go in my place, exactly? Who are you going to send? Just Jared, Paul, and Quil?" Embry challenged.

Of course, Brady and I wouldn't be included in this damn scenerio. We were _too young_, they said. We weren't allowed in that fight against the newborns, either. We had to stay home like good little pups. Next to me, Brady sniffed, probably thinking the same thing I was. I snorted softly, too low for anybody but Brady to hear, really. I wanted him to now that we were in on this together.

Sam swung his eyes over to us, eyeing Brady for a moment, then watching me. He nodded to himself, as if coming to a decision none of us quite knew. "Collin will go in your stead."

"Me?!" I shouted at the same time both Quil and Embry exclaimed, "Collin?!"

"Collin, are you up for the task?"

I stared wide eyed at Sam, asking me to go along on this mission. Brady nudged me, grinning widely at the opportunity I was being presented. "Y-yes," I squeaked, grinning as well. "I'm so up for this!"

Sam settled his eyes on Embry, who just let his shoulders sag in defeat. "Good. Jared, you will speak for me, as my beta."

Jared nodded, understanding. We all knew Jared would be the beta. Paul was bigger, but Jared had a cooler head, and he was the second one of us to make the change. "Anything you want me to say, Sam?"

Sam closed his eyes, thinking about what he wanted to relay to our lost members. "Tell Seth his mother misses him. And... Jared, tell Leah I want her back. If you really have to, get on your knees and beg her to come back."

Embry snorted, turned away from the rest of us. I frowned as well, hearing that. Leah was stubborn; begging wouldn't quite do it for her, but it was worth a try if Sam thought so.

But that didn't matter at all. I was going to be allowed to go on this truce mission, even though everybody thought of me as a kid! Sam recognized my potential and was letting me out of La Push. He could have sent Brady. Brady was a stronger fighter compared to me, just in case it came down to that. Jacob could be hostile now. Sam was taking a chance that Jacob wouldn't be, and that I would have a cool head in all of this. And I would. I wasn't going to leave Sam now, not when the pack seemed to grow smaller everyday!

I wouldn't let him down. Sam was my hero.

--

Everybody was on edge as we approached the lands belonging to the leeches. It was exciting and a little bit scary.

_Not going to wet yourself, are you kid? _Paul joked, picking up my feelings instantly.

_Not funny! _I yelled back.

_Why would Sam think I'm any better than Embry? _Quil whined, his mind full of thoughts of Jacob and all the fun times they had together.

_Hey, at least you don't have to be on your knees, begging for Leah to return. I think we all know why she truly ran off to Jacob and Seth. I'm going to have pull out something to convince her, _Jared muttered, flicking his ears back.

_Probably will rip your throat out the minute you call her Lee-Lee, _Paul continued to joke, but somehow, this was a little more serious. The images conjured at Paul's words flitted through my head, and the others groaned with my imagination.

_Thanks, there, Collin. Everybody, don't worry. Look, we are not here to fight. We are here to get our family back. If our persuasions don't work, that's it. We go home. Is that cool with everybody? _Jared asked us, while at the same time howls filled through the woods. We all stopped moving, listening to them. We knew who it was; Seth and Leah, calling for Jacob.

I whined softly, uneasy. _It's wrong, not being able to hear them when we just were able to. _

_I know what you mean... _Quil mumbled, and I wondered if he was up to the task. _I'm not going to split from the pack, if that's what you mean. _He growled at me. I lowered my head and flattened my ears in apology.

_Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just... I know what Jacob means to you and Embry. It must be hard._

_Here we go. I'm going to phase back, approach them slowly. Hang behind me a little, _Jared ordered before going ahead and making the phase.

_Show time_, Paul muttered, clearly unhappy.

_Right. Show time... _I didn't think any of them would come back with us today, but at least they would know we wouldn't attack the leeches. For now.

* * *

**AN: Collin was a little harder to write because he never really had anytime in the books to make himself known as an individual. But once I started this chapter, I knew who he was. Just a kid among adults with a hero worship for his Alpha. I was thinking of including the whole time with Jacob and the Clearwaters, but I thought this was a better ending. Review, lovely readers!**


	5. What's With All the Imprinting?

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: What's With All the Imprinting?**

**Summary: Curious, Sam and Jared hold a conversation about the imprinting a lot of the pack seemed to be going through lately. After all, wasn't that just a legend within the legend?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

* * *

I watched as Jared devoured yet another plate of Emily's cooking--his third, in fact. I had to admit, it was hard to resist. Emily was amazing. Simply amazing. And I guess it really helped to imprint on a girl who could fill a wolf's belly. Jared looked up, giving me a toothy grin. I smiled at him in return, amused by him. He was a good kid, Jared, only a few years younger than me, but age didn't seem to matter to a wolf. We could live and live, live very full and many lives, pretty much.

Not our imprints, though. Not them, but we did. Why? For what purpose would we meet our imprints in the first lives we experience as wolves?

Even Taha Aki didn't meet his until his third life. Third life, third wife. Strange, but besides the point.

"Paul imprinted," Jared said, interrupting my thoughts that were already along the same the lines.

"That's four so far. You, me, Paul, and Quil." I ticked each name off with a finger. That was almost a full freakin' hand.

"Why? Not that I'm against it. Meeting Kim, really meeting her, has changed my life, Sam. But I don't get it," Jared admitted, pushing his plate away from him. His shoulders slumped, defeated by his confusion. I nodded, understanding why he felt this way. I felt it, too. We all did.

"It's not something that was very common. I've listened and re-listened to those stories. All I can tell is that Taha Aki imprinted, and one of his grandsons. That's it. Why? Why is always the question in our case, isn't it?"

"That and how." Jared laughed, trying to lighten our darkening moods. "Sam?"

"What?" I picked his plate off the table and put in the sink for Emily. She enjoyed housework, and I enjoyed making it easier on her. Plus, I was trying to think this over. Think things through. I was their Alpha, but I didn't know how to answer their questions. The water was scalding over my hands as I scrubbed the plate clean. I felt the heat, but it didn't seem out of place. Jared was staring at me when I turned back around.

"The sons that defeated the Cold One, in the story about the third wife's sacrifice..." Jared started to say, but he shook his head, shutting up before even finishing his sentence.

"Go on," I prompted, plopping back down in my seat, waiting for him to figure it out.

"Well, they were all children of the third wife, right? Yaha Uta, the others that killed the second one, they were her children, right?" Jared asked, his eyes bright with excitement and theory.

My eyebrows rose as I thought over what he was saying. "You're right. They were the children of Taha Aki and his imprint. You think..." I frowned, narrowing my eyes at Jared in thought. His face was blank, but I knew he was thinking it over the same as I was. Taha Aki imprinted, and then sons were born that were able to defeat the Cold Ones. His other children, from the previous wives, were unable to complete that task, but not the third wife's children. _They_ did it. _They_ were... What? "Superior?"

"Do you think that her children had an advantage? That fate brought the third wife to Taha Aki, bringing together..." Jared groaned, trying to figure out how to finish that. What were the right words? I didn't know, either. I knew, but didn't know how to express them verbally.

"It's like the perfect combination of DNA for the ultimate wolf," I finally said, surprised by my words. It made so much sense. It made such complete sense that it frightened me. My love for Emily, was it not real? Was my betrayal of Leah for breeding pups? "I think that we imprint to create stronger wolves."

"Is that what Kim and Emily are?" Jared asked softly, obviously hurt by our theory as well. "Are they just baby machines to us? To strengthen what we are?"

"I don't think that's the question we should be asking ourselves, Jared. There's something else that we should be asking," I said to him. He stared at me hard, as if trying to read my mind though we were in human form. My frown became even deeper, and I was hoping he would get it without me having to actually ask the question out loud.

Jared shook his head, not fully understanding what I meant. Maybe the whole Kim thing was really tearing him up. I hurt, too, for Emily and Leah, but what had happened was in the past. There wasn't a way of changing the imprint, and I _knew_, absolutely _knew_, that Emily was the right person for me. Regardless of why she was right: Either because soul mates existed or she would give birth to my enhanced kids, I just knew that she was.

"Four of us have imprinted. So far. Who knows which of us remaining might imprint next, if it happens. Think about it, though, Jared, if our theory on the third wife's children is true. They imprinted, had kids, and those kids took down the threat of vampires. That was _one_ imprint," I began to explain, trying to shove these possible facts down his throat.

Understanding made Jared's eyes open wider and his mouth drop open. "Do you mean that... So many of us are imprinting because a bigger threat is on the way?"

"Not in this lifetime, obviously, but wouldn't nature try to counter an unnatural event by creating super wolves? I think so many of us are imprinting so that we have a _chance_ against what this threat might be."

Jared suppressed a shiver, but I saw the tiny convulsion run along his body. I didn't blame him. Something about what we had to come up with felt so right, like the first time I met Emily. I needed Emily... I needed her to counter something that she might not even be alive for one day in the future. But our children will live on, strong, fast, _wolves_.

"I'm thinking that we should probably keep this from Emily and Kim and Rachel. Claire, too, when the time comes," Jared suggested, his mouth twisted in humor. He was probably thinking of how Kim would react to such news.

I thought that the girls would take it in stride. After all, they didn't much mind the imprint. Why not tell them _why_ imprinting could possibly occur?

"They can handle it," I told him, confident of my words. These women were much tougher than Jared seemed to give them credit for. I've seen Emily's overwhelming strength firsthand.

"Yes, I can see it now. 'Emily, I just wanted you to know, you imprinted with me so that we could make babies.'" Jared started cracking up, his laughter loud and obnoxious. I pushed the table at him, not finding any humor at his stupid impression of me.

"Unlike you, I wouldn't be so damn tactless when talking to her. I can see why you would hesitate to tell Kim if that's how you would put it," I muttered, shaking my head at his ongoing laughter.

"You're a jerk, you know that? I wouldn't tell Kim that. I wouldn't tell her at all!"

"Wouldn't tell me what?" It was just our luck that both Kim and Emily came back into the room, curious to see what all the noise Jared was making was about. I smiled at Jared, and he gulped to see the wicked look I had put on.

"Jared and I believe we imprinted so that we will have enhanced children, Emily. However, Jared would like to tell Kim that he couldn't _wait_ to start on the baby making," I told them with such a convincing straight face, Jared groaned loudly.

"Really, Jared?" Kim asked him, her face a calm mask, but I could see that she was angry. Jared was defenseless to her.

Emily came over to me, smiling softly as she touched her hand to my cheek. She leaned down, whispering in my ear, "You really think that's why we imprinted?"

I kissed her scarred cheek softly, holding her close to my body. "The purpose maybe, but it doesn't matter. We were made for each other, children or no children. We could have none, and I would still carry you in my heart."

"Glad to hear."

I kissed her again, knowing that whatever happened, at least I had Emily to always be at my side.


	6. BAM! And They All Started Exploding

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: BAM! And They All Started Exploding Into 'Wolves**

**Summary: One day, Sam, Jared, and Paul are pulled away by the elders of the village, leaving Brady in confusion. That is... Until Billy Black brings Brady into his house to take care of little Andrew, a 'wolf in transformation, and only Brady is there to help him out.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

* * *

I was just hanging out with Collin, kicking back and relaxing after weeks of restless watches and mindless pacing. First, we were all prepared to attack the bloodsuckers over the way because of Jacob's crush. After that, Jacob left us, then Seth, and finally Leah. So, what were we to do? We were a broken group, on divided sides. Of course, when Nessie—Yeah, she's like family to us, what with Jacob imprinting on her and all—was born, all of this changed. We relaxed, Jacob's pack relaxed, the bloodsuckers relaxed. So, that's what Collin and I were doing. _Relaxing before the ultimate showdown_.

Well, that was how Paul put it. Not that I would put much faith in the things he tends to say. Collin was hanging on to every word, though, but mostly because Sam didn't disagree with Paul, and we all know how much Collin worships Sam.

"What are you thinking about?" Collin asked, his cheery voice interrupting my private—for now—thoughts.

"What was up with Old Quil earlier today?"

Collin nodded, his "thoughtful" face scrunching up his eyebrows and making him squint at me. I had to smile. It was an incredibly funny face. "Yeah..."

--

We were—that is, Collin, Jared, Paul, Sam, and I—at Sam's place. It was a little upsetting, seeing how empty Emily's kitchen was becoming. Not that Quil and Embry, and sometimes even Jacob and Seth with the occasional Leah, didn't drop on by, but now we were the pack. The whole pack. So, there we were, just talking. Breakfast was long over, so we just had a man-to-man—or wolf-to-wolf, if you like—chat. It was nice. Collin and I were being treated as adults and not little kids. Ever since Collin proved himself when they had the first meeting with Jacob, we've been getting a bit more respect. It's hard, you know, to be a kid stuck inside the body of a mature male.

Old Quil ran in, out of breath, his face red with exhaustion, sweat all over him. He'd obviously ran over here, not even thinking of getting into a car. He didn't need to be overexerting himself. Emily came in right behind him, clasping her hands together. I could see the worry on her face. She didn't know what was happening, but she knew it was major. Sam stood up quickly, his seriously stern face on. I glanced at Collin, to see what he was thinking of. His was the mirror image of Sam's. He actually had it down pretty good.

"What is it?" Sam probed, placing his large hand on the older man's shoulder. "Did something happen? Is somebody..."

Sam let his words trailed off, and my stomach tightened up on itself. He wanted to know if somebody had been attacked.

Old Quil shook his head, opening his mouth to take a deep breath. "I need you... You and Jared, quick."

Without another word, Jared and Sam rushed off, following poor Old Quil, who looked dead after his sudden jog.

Collin looked at me, and I just shrugged back at him. Paul frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, I'm glad I'm an important member of this pack, too!" He gruffed, looking disgruntled that Old Quil hadn't chosen him for his mission, whatever it was.

"Tell me about it..." Collin grumbled along with the older 'wolf. I just laughed, shaking my head at my best friend.

Paul didn't have to wait much longer, though. We had fallen into silence with Sam and Jared gone, a comfortable one shared between creatures such as ourselves. Whatever we had to say, we all were going to now about it later, anyway.

The phone rang, and Emily answered. It was a short conversation, because about ten seconds later, Emily came into the kitchen, her eyes slightly wide. I knew that she knew now what was going on. "Paul... Sue Clearwater needs you... You need to go to her place."

"What is it, Emily?" Paul asked, trying to sound serious, but the excitement in his voice was quite clear.

"There's a..." She glanced at us, me and Collin, and I knew that whatever respect we had gained during this tribulation wasn't enough to grant us access into what was happening, even though we were as much a part of the pack as the others.

Paul followed her gaze, nodded sharply, and stood up from her table. "I'll bring Rachel by later on tonight, Emily. Thanks for breakfast!"

He was gone, and it was just the "little kids" left.

How could we be little kids when we had the appearance of men? It was hard enough trying to get my parents to not realize that I could go partying without people thinking twice about it, but did my own pack have to treat me like a baby, too?

--

"Don't think too hard about it, Collin," I told him, frowning. "They'll tell us eventually."

"Yeah, okay."

I sighed, scrambling up to my feet. "I better get home before my mom gets mad at me again."

"She still yelling about you coming home so late last night?"

I nodded, then shrugged, as if to say, "What can I do about it?" I didn't want to tell her, didn't need to tell her. That was that.

I left Collin behind, but he wasn't really going to be alone. I could already hear him phasing.

I didn't notice Billy at first. I was staring at the ground, hoping beyond hope that Mom wouldn't be mad at me when I got home. More or less, I was hoping that she wouldn't still be yelling. Our house was down the road from the Blacks, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when Billy called out my name. I was startled, though.

"Brady!"

I stopped walking, swinging my head up to stare at him. "Hello, Billy."

He smiled at me, nodding. "I have a favor to ask of you."

"Me?"

"Yes. The others are too busy, and I couldn't reach my son. I need you."

I nodded, jogging up to the porch to meet him. My eyebrows were perked up high. He _needed_ me. Was this what happened to the older guys? "What happened?"

Billy shook his head, closing his eyes briefly. "Since the Cullens have been inviting more vampires all the time..."

My shoulders sagged as I realized what he was telling me. "More people have transformed?"

The old man nodded, looking weary and drawn out. "I need you to come inside. I found Andrew out back... I need you to help him out, make sure he's safe."

I walked up the steps and onto the porch, nodding as I did so. "Okay. I'll stay with him; you just get out of here Billy."

The elder smiled crookedly at me, saying, "I know he's in good hands. I'll call later to check up on you. He's in Jacob's old room. It's the..." The man sighed. I squeezed his shoulder, not speaking, just letting him know that it would all be okay.

I headed inside, heading straight towards Jacob's former room. I pushed the door open lightly, peering inside. I knew Andrew. He was really just a kid, about ten-years-old. He was sitting on the bed, his body in small convulsions. Tears stained his face. I was only a few years older than him, but I suddenly felt worlds older, worlds more mature than this crying child. He turned to stare up at me, unashamed of his crying, just staring at me with large, fearful eyes.

"What's wrong with me, Brady?" He even sounded young. How would the change affect him? How old will his body mature? When it was done, would he be a ten-year-old boy trapped in a young man's body? Would he be awkward, disproportioned?

I walked over to him, sitting down next to him on the bed. He curled up next to me, still young enough to be comforted like this. I put an arm around him, hugging him close. "You've been chosen, Andrew."

"Chosen?" The little boy sniffed, and I nodded. His shivers continued, even against my warmth, even against his own growing temperature.

"Yes. You get to be special, a protector. You get to be my little brother."

"And Collin's?"

I smiled. Andrew had always looked up to me and Collin, so I nodded for him, letting him know that he was safe, with us, with his new family. "Yes. Do you want to hear a story about what you are now?"

* * *

**AN: Sorry, guys, for taking so long to update. It's been crazy, starting college and everything! Hope you enjoyed Brady's chapter!**


	7. More Than a Hero

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: More Than a Hero**

**Summary: It all began at a fateful battle against a vampire, when another leech helped him. From there, the infatuation grew. Once the enemy, but now his hero, Seth reflects on his friendship with the amazing Edward Cullen.**

**AN: Again I fear that I may be cutting a close one here. With Seth's POV, I think I might have come off a little serious. :D Maybe he's modeling himself after Edward?! -goes with that theory- Oh, yes. Breaking Dawn spoilers ahead.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

* * *

I remember that it was after the fight with Riley that I began to see vampires a little bit differently than the others in my pack. At first, I was upset. I could have taken Riley down all by myself. I wasn't a wolf for nothing. My pride felt crushed when the Cullen stepped in and saved me.

It was then, though, that I realized something major. He had saved me. Edward Cullen had saved my life. I actually would have died. My wolf pride hated admitting that, but I might have been a little too cocky for my own benefit, and with Edward's fast reflexes, my mistake was forgiven.

The pack made fun of me. They gave it a few days, after they had recovered and Jacob ran away on us, before they really started in on me. Leah was the worst. I love my sister... But her bitch compacity seems to have sky rocketed when she became all wolf like. She loves to jab at people, and believe me, it was so much worse than her just being in my head. I do live with her still. Even now she likes to give me a little push about my obsession, not that she has much room to talk anymore.

I was overjoyed at being invited to the wedding. I had allowed my reluctance on Edward saving me to grow into a bit of wonder.

I could tell how much Bella loved him, from the way that she spoke to me on the phone. Our conversations were brief, but I'm not stupid. I could hear it when she invited me. I happen to think that Bella is amazing, and anyone worthy of her love is worthy of my admiration. Yes, that includes Jacob as well, the stubborn mule that he was. Or is.

--

The wedding was absolutely beautiful. Even with Jacob's interference. I started realizing then, I couldn't accept Edward without Jacob, either. Two completely different men that I both completely model myself after. There is no one without the other, so I can see now Bella's hardship with the two of them. My feelings are quite different from hers, thankfully.

I made the mistake though, at the wedding, after that sad fiasco, of thinking that both Edward and Jacob needed to accept each other. Edward is above stupid things such as territorial markings, which, unfortunately, Jacob was not. Is not.

Edward gave me a sharp look that night, picking up my thoughts. He didn't believe that what I had thought was correct in any way, shape, or form.

"Seth... I am nothing like that Jacob. He's rash, violent, and can't control himself," Edward said to me after he pulled me to the side.

I grinned brightly at him, still affected by his presence. I was like a little puppy when it came to him. "In some ways, you _are_ alike. He is all those things though, isn't he?" I also found it hard to not agree with him. He made perfect sense to me, all the time.

Edward placed his hand on my head, ruffling my short, black hair in a brotherly sort of way. "Make sure that he doesn't continue doing his stupid stunts, Seth. He needs a cool head like yours around."

--

I took those words to heart. When Jacob ran off from the pack, I knew what I had to do. Edward was counting on me to make sure that Jacob wouldn't do anything stupid. I followed Jacob, knowing that he was going to Bella, to the Cullens, and I was right on his heels. Oh, sure. He was angry about it all. Wanted me to go back, blah blah blah. It was too late by then. Jacob was the one I wanted to follow. Edward was the one I wanted to follow.

The Cullens accepted me pretty easily. Well... There is the blonde, Rosalie, but she isn't happy with anybody, really. Except the baby. Besides Edward, Alice is my favorite. She sought me out constantly, so that she could find silence among all the things going on in her head. I didn't mind her pressing herself up against my fur. Sure, the smell was agitating. I sneezed a few times, and she laughed.

Edward enjoyed having me around as well. If I wasn't in wolf form—with his cold fingers in my fur, petting me as though I was a dog—then we were usually hanging out on the porch, talking. I asked him loads of questions about his past. He was hesitant at first to speak of any of it with me, but I guess that I was so eager, he couldn't help but cave in.

Leah didn't enjoy any of this too much. She called me the family pet, to which Jacob howled at with amusement. I didn't find any of that funny. Leah's sense of humor is distorted, to say the least. Her and Jacob are pretty even on that level. I heard those dumb blonde jokes he directed at Rosalie. They were only worth a laugh because they were so cheesy. Leah's humor is a little more dry, but they are just the same.

--

Reneesme. She's so cute, if creepy at some points. Growing rapidly, imprinting with Jacob, hunting at only a few months old. Like I said, though, cute. She's more Bella than Edward, but you can tell that she got something from her father. She's fiercely overprotective of those that she loves. Edward's like that, too.

Belle, Nessie, Jacob, his family... And me.

It's like Leah kept joking about. I guess I sort of became the walking, talking, shifting family pet.

Which is okay for me. I'm not so full of piss and vinegar like everybody else. This life is an adventure. I'm a wolf who's best friends with a vampire. You don't get much better than that, and pride is just a dull thing that gets in the way of other things, like friendship and family.

In any case, Jacob is the bigger house pet. With the whole imprinting on Nessie thing. I still feel pain in my jaw from the little hit Bella planted on me. She still hasn't quit apologizing for that. She may have tough skin, a funny smell, and is more dazzling than ever, but she's still the same old Bella, with shifting moods. Edward said that was just her getting used to the new vampirism thing.

I'm still staying out of her way, though.

--

"Seth, I'm not so sure that you should do this," Edward told me one night before the whole thing with the bad vampires went down. We were far away from the homestead, hunting in the forest together. The other vamps gathered at the Cullens' house weren't too excited to have us wolves around. Not that I minded. Their stench was pretty disgusting.

_Do what? _I thought at him as we waited beneath a tree. I could smell a deer heading our way.

"It could get dangerous out there. For all of you. Bella hasn't said anything to me about it, but I know that she's afraid for you. For all the wolves getting involved," Edward continued to explain to me.

I gave him a big, wolfy grin. _We are doing this because of Jacob. And Nessie. I'm doing this because you are my family, too, Edward. All of you._

"You're a good kid, Seth. It's good to have you as one of us."

_Yeah. Just wait until Leah hears about it though._

_I already am_, my sister growled, and I could hear all the _funny_ new jokes that she was coming up with.

I would have rolled my eyes, if I had the opportunity to do so.

Edward crouched down then, looking sharply like the hunter that he is. A thrill rushed through my body as I crouched down as well, letting my animal instincts pull me along as the smell of deer filled my nostrils. Hunting is exciting. Hunting with your hero is an even greater experience. Tonight was all fun and games.

Tomorrow would be the real test of my family courage. In my head, my pack—Leah, Jacob, Embry, and Quil—all howled with anticipation of the upcoming showdown. Edward glanced at me, and I could see the proud smile he flashed me quickly before taking off for the animal.

I like being around Edward. It reminds me of hanging out with my dad before Leah and I scared him. I like that he's proud of me and wants me to hunt with him.

I like that we're not only friends now, but kind of like family.

My hero. My enemy. Friend, brother, father.

_Knock it off already, Seth_, Jacob barked in my head with a sharp laugh.

_Quit mooning after the Cullen, brother_, Leah laughed as well.

_Yeah, yeah. It's not mooning_, I replied back as I pounced upon the kill with Edward.


	8. Come Back To Me

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: Come Back To Me**

**Summary: It's the night before the pack is supposed to meet the Cullens for the fateful decision from the Volturi... And Kim fears for Jared's safety out among so many vampires.**

**AN: Wow! _Better Than_ has been nominated at the Twilight Awards for Best Werewolf Portrayal! Alright, dutiful and wonderful readers. You know what to do! ;D Head on over to the Twilight Awards website and begin reading all the lovely nominations, and vote for the best! Also, I know this is pretty short, but this is the vision I had for this chapter. Leave me pretty reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

* * *

It was hard to face her, to face that look in her beautiful eyes as she stared up at me, both of her hands wrapped tightly around one of my arms. If I looked at her, she might speak. If she spoke to me, I might just listen. If I listened... I was a afraid I would betray my pack.

But she wouldn't ask that of me. I wouldn't be able to deny her, though.

My heart clenched tightly at the way she was trying so hard to get me to face her stare, but I continued to refuse her. _Not now, Kim. Don't do this to me._

She spoke my name, though, and I let out an audible sigh. "Jared."

I tried to refuse the call of my beloved. I closed my eyes tightly, standing stiffly there as he hands unfurled from my large arm. I thought maybe that was it, that perhaps she would back off and go sulk with Emily about our decision. Instead, I felt her cool fingers on my face, and my eyes opened to finally face her.

Her eyes were large, shining with a pool of tears that were precariously close to being shed. Her face was so open and honest, and I could see all the fear she was experiencing reflecting out on me. My stomach clenched at the horror Kim was feeling. I wanted to stop it. I wanted to make her happy again. I wanted her to laugh and smile and not have to worry about a huge gathering of leeches in our home. I wanted Kim to be safe.

And that's why I had to go out on the field, following after Sam. I had to keep her safe, had to keep our future children safe from threats such as these. I needed to be there for my brothers, and sister, as we sided with Bella and her husband.

If I could have made it all better with a mere snap of my fingers...

I was the beta, though. She knew that. She should have stopped giving me that fearful glance, letting me know that all her thoughts were leaning toward all the negative aspects of what could happen. She should have not been pleading so silently for me to back out.

"Jared..."

Her voice made me quiver. I leaned my forehead against hers. Her fingers ran through my hair, clutching at the strands desperately.

I didn't want to leave her.

She knew that, didn't she?

"Kim, don't..." I begged her in a soft whisper, wrapping her up in my arms as I brought her closer to me.

She leaned into me, and as she pressed her cheek against mine as we held each other, I felt the moisture on her face that assured me that she had begun to silently cry for me already. I rubbed her back soothingly, trying to reassure her with my hands that all would be fine. How could we fail? There was no reason to be afraid...

Though, worry and guilt nagged at me. I remembered Collin and Brady, and how their earlier human conversation leaked into our wolf minds as we patrolled. They weren't so much afraid for their lives as they were for their families... And for the newest members of our pack. Could we succeed?

"Jared. Listen to me," she whispered into my ear as she clung to me.

I swallowed hard. I prayed that she wouldn't. Prayed that she couldn't ask that of me.

"You have to come back to me. Do you hear me, Jared? Come back to me," she ordered gently, and I could hear all of her love caressing her words.

I smiled despite my worries. Kim knew. She knew that it was wrong of her to ask me to stay, but telling me to come back... I had no choice but to listen to my one and only.

Before I could speak, though, her mouth pressed to mine, stealing all my words with her fierce and passionate kiss.

I would come back to her, no matter what.


	9. Bedtime Myths and Legends

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: Bedtime Myths and Legends**

**Summary: When Claire asks for a bedtime story, Quil has no choice but to obey. But what kind of story does a werewolf tell his young imprint?**

**AN: Thanks to PiscesChick for telling me what is supposed to be the actual Quileute story on imprinting and wolves! :D This chapter is dedicated to you for inspiring me! I did take liberties with the story, though, lol.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

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The little girl snuggled into my side, casting her blanket off. I didn't blame her; my own body heat was enough to keep her warm as we huddled into bed together. I liked this, being able to put her to bed at night. I liked being able to be there for her through whatever. Even bedtime.

"Quil..." Claire said my name in her small voice. "Will you tell me a story?"

I thought it over. "I don't think I really know any stories, Claire."

"No fairy tales at all?" She glanced up at me with her round, child eyes, and I couldn't help but melt and try to think of something.

"I know one fairy tale," I told her, and I began to tell her a story, half built on fact, half built on imagination.

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Once, there was a young man in the village of old that everyone was beginning to look up to. He was strong, handsome, and very honest. Younger boys wanted to be a warrior just like him, older men wanted him to join their hunting parties. Women, young and old, wanted the warrior man for their own. However, the young man was very picky.

He wanted the perfect princess for his bride.

None of the women fit his criteria.

He wanted a girl who was as beautiful and willful as he was handsome and strong. The bride he sought after had to be his partner in everything.

The women who went after him were neither beautiful enough, or were too docile, or they talked too much about too much. With a frown and growing disappointed, he waved every one of them away, deeming them unworthy to be with a man such as himself.

He was a prideful man.

There was one girl, only a few years younger than our arrogant hero, that did not try to seek his hand in marriage. She knew what it was he was looking for, and though she met most of his criteria, there was one thing that she was missing the most: beauty. She did not feel she was pretty enough to stand in front of the man she was in love with and offer herself up as his perfect partner. The girl hid herself under cloaks of wolf hides, not wishing to catch his attention.

It is just better this way, she told herself everyday as she spied the young man.

And she successfully avoided the man for a long time this way.

Now, a couple of years had passed by now, and the young man was now a man, and the girl was now just a woman. The man had still never seen the woman's face, but he had heard of her wit and wished to meet the one woman who had never presented herself to him. The woman was as unwed as the man, but she had grown into herself, even if she wasn't the beauty the man had boasted of wanting.

When the hero asked about the woman, he was told something incredible. So incredible, in fact, that it made him desire to see her all the more.

"She does not show her face to any man," he was told. "She hides behind the face of a wolf."

"What do you mean?" The man asked.

Another of the village's hunters stepped forward upon hearing this and said, "She fashioned herself a mask that resembles the face of a wolf, and she wears the hides that she cleans herself from the wolves who die naturally."

See, in this village, the wolf was a sacred animal, and anyone who was granted the gift of hides was indeed one blessed by the gods.

The man could no longer ignore the woman, and he knew that he had to meet her. But how? He doubted that she would willingly meet with him if she spent all this time avoiding him.

He could go as an animal in disguise, as she did, but the man knew that he could not trick her. He was a brave warrior who faced down man and beast alike. Confronting her made his heart beat faster and sweat gather in his palms, though, and it reminded him of battle more than anything else.. His feet moved without thought until she was in his sights, cloaked in the way that he said she would be. She saw him approach, and her body went still. She may have been dressed as a wolf, but he could recognize her body language. She was more like a deer who had spotted the predator.

He walked closer to her still, and she did not run. "I have come to meet you," he called out to her.

She answered in a calm voice. "Have you come to judge me as you did the others?"

The wolf-woman did not run, and he took this as a good sign as he came up to her, only a foot separating the two. "I am not here to judge you."

But she didn't believe him. She knew the man, and she knew how the man could be. "You have judged the other women, and though they were much more beautiful than I, you cast them aside."

He thought over her words. It was true... He had judged those who had wanted to be with him harshly. "Let me see your face so I can decide for myself."

The woman didn't reply for a few minutes, but then she nodded. Her hands lifted to her mask, fingers pressed against her handsome handiwork. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let her wolf face drop from her human one.

She opened her eyes and waited for him to walk away from her. She was not beautiful in the way he had spoken of wanting. His eyebrows rose high on his forehead, his eyes widening. She held her breath as he began to twitch. This was it, and she knew it. He would deem her unworthy. Even though she knew this was about to happen, she couldn't help but feel her bursting love for him throughout her whole body. He could deny her, but at least she had faced the man she loved with her own face.

It was then that the most amazing thing began to happen. The man stepped closer to her, cupping her face. She gasped as he spoke his most beautiful words. "I have been waiting my whole life for my wolf queen."

He changed then, his body shifting right before her eyes. He went from man to wolf in an instant as she clutched her makeshift face more tightly in her hands. When the transformation was over, a giant wolf stood before her, and she knew the man that she had fallen in love with was the Wolf God himself, posing as a human man for years in search of his love. She climbed onto his back, placing her mask back onto her face, and the god took her to his forest realm, where they lived...

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"Happily ever after," I whispered, finishing up my story with a well known line from the fairy tale stories Claire was probably used to hearing. The benefit on the famous line might as well have been for my own ears, as well as the last half of the story. I knew my girl had fallen asleep to the sound of my voice ages ago.

Still... I wanted her to hear the story of the wolf-man and the woman who loved him despite what he looked like.

I slipped away from Claire, placing her gently in the bed and covering her up. Leaning down, I smoothed her hair from her face, giving her a small kiss on the top of her head.

I could only hope that one day...

One day, she would be like the woman from my story, accepting me for everything that I was...

And everything that I would continue to be.

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**AN: Only one chapter left in this story. I bet you all can guess who the last voice will be!**


	10. Countdown

**Title: Better Than a Soap Opera**

**Chapter: Countdown **

**Summary: Jacob recounts the ten moments that completely changed his life... Forever.**

**AN: Thanks to you, all my beautiful reviewers! Without you, this story wouldn't have been what it is. It's the fans that make everything wonderful for us writers, who keep us going. So, in dedication, I present the last pack member. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. I love you all!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Twilight. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I just like the empty holes I can fill up with my imagination. :3 But, really, who doesn't find joy in fan fiction?**

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There were plenty of moments in Jacob's life that made him happy. He could really count them down ten to one. As the light of his life ran around him, he smiled to himself, big and wolfish and content, thinking them over.

**Ten – The Day He Met Bella**

He didn't remember much except for a spitfire girl, long brown hair trailing behind her as she ran away from him. He did remember the reason she was running was because his chubby, child hands had pulled up her skirt, revealing skinny legs, scabby knees, and Little Mermaid underwear. Afterwards, she had pushed him down into the gravel.

**Nine – The Time Bella Came Back**

She was just looking up him with her big, brown eyes, moving in closer to him, batting those lashes like she was the master of flirting—and the way he was thinking about her, how he wanted to press his lips to her beautiful ones and dive his fingers into her hair, see if it was even silkier against the sensitive flesh of his fingertips rather than on his tanned arm—and he knew that she could have him in any way she wanted.

No other girl had ever made him feel this way.

**Eight – The Moment Bella Came To Him For Help**

Jacob knew that her boyfriend had left her, knew by the dead look in her beautiful eyes that she wasn't over it. Still, he couldn't help but feel a deep and manly pride when she asked for him.

**Seven – When He Joined The Pack**

The pain ripped through his muscles, tore at his flesh, bent and cracked his bones into a shape that was no longer human. He howled, his human voice dying out until he was screaming nothing but silence... Then came the animal, the beast, the wolf's voice that erupted from his change vocal cords, and the ethereal sound filled his ears. Even though it was filled with agony and terror, Jacob couldn't help but admire his new sounds.

_Welcome to the pack_, the one he recognized as Sam whispered to him.

Jacob continued to convulse on the forest floor.

**Six – When Edward Admitted He Needed His Help**

Something dangerous was stalking Bella. Jacob knew this. Edward knew this.

It must have taken some serious guts for the leech to ask a wolf for help, but somehow, Jacob just couldn't help admiring the creep for asking for help. Because he couldn't trust anybody else with Bella's safety, even though Jacob had already proven himself completely reckless in his presence.

He still hated the way Edward sniffed indignantly at him and scowled when Jacob even tried to think something about giving Edward the tiniest bit of respect for his wise decision.

**Five – When Bella Kissed Him Back**

It was a distraction. She was being selfish. Bella was always so selfish. Selfish and beautiful, and Jacob just _knew_ that this was how her lips were supposed to feel, how her mouth was supposed to taste as she opened herself up to him, realizing what he already knew.

**Four – Nessie**

No matter how many times Jacob had felt the previous imprints through their special connection, nothing could have ever prepared him for this moment. Couldn't prepare him as he stared into Bella's daughter's eyes as she opened them wide for him. His heart broke a million times over, healing just as quickly. Nothing could have ever prepared him for the fierce growl rising in himself, and for his wolf part of him selfishly screaming _mine_ over and over in the most primal, innate way possible.

He was _hers_.

**Three – Seth and Leah and Quil and Embry**

He was alone at first, ready to sacrifice for Bella.

Then Seth came running after him, and Jacob was thankful for the company.

Then Leah arrived the next day, all sass and bitch, but Jacob could have hugged her tight for not abandoning her brother—or him. She bit his hind leg when she heard that.

When the official threat from the "demonic baby" was over, his two best friends, the two who had made reservation life completely tolerant and bearable were allowed to leave Sam for him. He met them halfway between their old lands and the Cullens' lands. Their reunion was filled with tight embraces, a few punches, and Embry's tears. Quil and Jacob would have never admitted their eyes had misted, too.

**Two – "I Do"**

The moment Nessie took his hand, her eyes big and beautiful and her own, Jacob knew that nothing else around him even mattered. It didn't matter that he was crying, and it didn't matter that Leah—his best "man"—was laughing at him from her place by his side. It didn't even matter that Emmett had somehow weaseled his way into becoming their minister (and Jacob didn't want to know who had put him up to taking the course).

All that mattered were two gorgeously spoken words from the only person who did matter to him at this moment. "I do."

**One – Izzy**

Officially, on paper, her name was Isabella Billie Black, but to the family, she was simply Izzy. Emmett tended to call his daughter "Dizzy", since she seemed to have inherited her grandmother's formerly clumsy ways. It made sense though, they all agreed. After all, Izzy was more human than any of them.

More human and more normal than any of them. She didn't age rapidly like her mother, didn't age slowly like her father, didn't stop aging like the Cullens. Izzy just was, and they loved her for it.

They loved the moment she began to take her first steps, chubby fists waving in laughter as they surrounded her, like she knew that they would. She was special like that, special and spoiled, the most loved baby that had ever been born.

Jacob didn't believe that anything more precious could exist than his daughter. He knew, as he watched her running around the yard, chasing her Uncle Seth, that she was more important than any of them.

Edward touched his shoulder, and Jacob glanced at his father-in-law and friend. "Now you know."

Jacob nodded in agreement, his eyes immediately going back to his beautiful daughter.


End file.
